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Saturday, August 25, 2012

NEW YORK — A laid-off women’s
accessories designer shot a former coworker to death in front of the
Empire State Building, causing a chaotic showdown with police Friday in
front of one of the world’s best-known landmarks. Police killed the
suspect and at least nine others were wounded, some possibly by police
gunfire, city officials said.

Some of the wounded were grazed by bullets and others hit directly, but all were expected to survive, officials said.

The gunshots rang out on the Fifth
Avenue side of the building at around 9 a.m., a time of day when the
sidewalks around the building are packed with pedestrians and merchants
were opening their shops.

“People were yelling ‘Get down! Get
down!”, said Marc Engel, an accountant who was on a bus in the area when
he heard the shots. “It took about 15 seconds, a lot of ‘pop, pop, pop,
pop, one shot after the other.”

Afterward, he saw the sidewalks littered with the wounded, including one person “dripping enough blood to leave a stream.”

After the shootout, crowds of tourists
and people on their way to work gathered along 34th Street, which was
shut down by police. Police helicopters buzzed overhead and swarms of
officers were gathered around the crime scene.

Jeffrey Johnson, 58, was laid off about
a year ago at Hazan Imports and fired three times at the company’s
41-year-old office manager, shooting the man in the head, Police
Commissioner Raymond Kelly said. The two had traded accusations of
harassment when Johnson worked there, he said.

Johnson walked away, and a construction
worker who saw the shooting followed Johnson and alerted police,
officials said. Surveillance video footage shows Johnson reaching into a
bag, pulling out a .45-caliber pistol and pointing it at officers,
Kelly said. The officers drew their weapons and started firing, killing
Johnson, Kelly said.

Kelly initially said that Johnson fired
on officers, but police said later they were trying to determine
whether Johnson actually fired shots.

The two officers fired a total of 14
rounds, he said. Mayor Michael Bloomberg said some of the nine wounded
may have been shot by police in the mayhem. Johnson’s semi-automatic
weapon was equipped to fire at least eight rounds; at least one round
was left in the clip, police said.

Johnson worked at the company near the building for about six years and was laid off because of downsizing, Kelly said.

“We were just working here and we just
heard bang, bang, bang!” said Mohammed Bachchu, 22, of Queens, a worker
at a nearby souvenir shop. He said he rushed from the building and saw
seven people lying on the ground, covered in blood.

Queens resident Rebecca Fox, 27, said
she saw people running down the street and initially thought it was a
celebrity sighting, but then saw a woman shot in the foot and a man dead
on the ground.

“I was scared and shocked and literally
shaking,” she said. She said police seemed to appear in seconds. “It
was like CSI, but it was real.”

Hassam Cissa, 22, of the Bronx, said he saw two bodies on the ground and police applying a white cloth to a man’s stomach wound.

Gunshots so close to one of the city’s
leading tourist attractions immediately prompted fears of terrorism, but
federal officials said that wasn’t the case, and a guard at skyscraper
said it didn’t involve the parts of the building where tourists gather
to visit the skyscraper.

The gunfire came less than two weeks
after a knife-wielding man was shot dead by police near Times Square,
another tourist-saturated part of the city. Authorities say police shot
51-year-old Darrius Kennedy after he lunged at officers with a kitchen
knife Aug. 12. Kennedy was smoking marijuana in Times Square on a
Saturday afternoon when officers first approached, police said. It was
the beginning of an encounter that would stretch for seven crowded
blocks.

In 1997, a gunman opened fire on the
86th floor observation deck of the Empire State Building, killing one
tourist and wounding six others before fatally shooting himself.

Usain Bolt
has completed everything he could hope to as a sprinter. He has world
records in the 100m and the 200m, six Olympic golds, and a set-in-stone
legacy as one of the greatest sprinters of all time. Why not seek
another challenge?

Though there were rumors of his retirement, Bolt dismissed the idea
his track and field career was over. Instead, he mentioned a prospect
that would mean the world's fastest man wouldn't even be in the sprints. Bolt is considering trying other events, namely the 400m and long jump.

"It's just about making different goals, there's a lot of
things I can do in the sport," Bolt told Britain's Sky News television
channel.
"My coach wants me to do 400 metres, I want to try long jump," said Bolt.

Seeing Bolt long jump would certainly be a sight to behold. One of
the reasons why he is so dominant in the sprints is that he uses his
height as an advantage. He uses every inch of his 6-foot-5 body to get
to the finish line in a fast, efficient manner. Can you imagine what he
will do to get that frame to jump farther?

LOS ANGELES
(Reuters) - Katie Holmes walked away without a payment or alimony in her
divorce with Tom Cruise, but the couple's six-year-old daughter, Suri,
stands to receive $400,000 annually in child support until she turns 18,
celebrity website TMZ.com reported on Friday.

Citing sources familiar with
court documents filed by the former couple, whose divorce was finalized
earlier this week, TMZ said the "TomKat" pre-nuptial agreement blocked
Holmes from receiving any portion of the 50-year-old actor's $250
million fortune.

But Cruise will make
child-support payments over the next 12 years that add up to $4.8
million, or $33,333.33 a month. TMZ also reported that Cruise must pay
Suri's medical, education and extracurricular expenses.

Cruise's attorney declined to comment on the report, and a lawyer
for Holmes did not respond to Reuters' request for confirmation.

Holmes, 33, surprised Cruise in late June when she filed for divorce from the "Mission: Impossible" star after a nearly six-year marriage. Cruise was in Iceland shooting a movie at the time.

The divorce, which took less
than two weeks to settle, captivated the world and prompted questions
about whether Suri will be raised in the Church of Scientology, with
which her father has long been closely associated.

If you watch live TV, ads are unavoidable and usually not very memorable. But there are always a few that break through. Why?

There are five common characteristics that memorable ads
share, according to a new Nielsen report. Ads with humor, relatable
characters, a simple storyline, conversation rather than a voiceover and
emotion tend to be remembered.

"The ability to create a true winning commercial is an undeniable art form, but there’s science behind it too," Joe Stagaman, Nielsen TV ad analyst said in a statement.

For instance, the latest top-remembered ad is a 30-second spot for Wendy's, the fast food chain founded by Dave Thomas
and known for its square burgers. In this commercial, Thomas' daughter
talks about the freshness of the chain's beef. There is no fancy
filmwork — just a middle-aged woman who surely knows about the products
of her namesake restaurant chain.

Wendy now personally owns more than 30 of the franchises and became the spokesperson for the chain in 2010.

Is it funny? Not really, aside from an opening joke about Wendy's
Frosty treats, but an awful lot of moms can relate to Wendy's talk about
the importance of fresh food and her fond memories of her dad. The
"That's Wendy's Way" ad series featuring downhome dialogue with Wendy
began running last April and now has its own website.

Check out this bombshell Amber Priddy from Atlanta, Georgia! Rockin’ a
34DD-24-46 voluptuous body with 100% confidence. Amber is quickly
becoming the new rising star in the urban market which is full of
bootylicious sexy models and video vixens. She has the personality to
get along with everyone is doesn’t take no for an answer. Photographing
Amber on South Beach was an exciting experience as people flocked to get
pictures with their cell phones and autographs. She is a true super
star always showed appreciation to her fans with love. Amber owns a hair
salon in Atlanta and says she loves every minute of it.

An interview with Amber Priddy:

Where were you born, and how was life growing up? Charlotte, NC and was tons of fun!

What nationality are you? german, irish and italian

What would the average person say about you? that I have a wonderful personality

Are you a good dancer? very good
Do you date all races? yes, I don’t discriminate

What do you do professionally? i own a hair salon
Do you have any secret weaknesses or guilty pleasures? chocolate

What’s your biggest turn on? guy that smells good

What do guys compliment you most on? guess

Do you consider yourself more of a “giver” or a “taker”? giver

If you could have any car you wanted, what would it be? bentley coupe

Do you have any hidden talents? yes you just have to find them though

What do you like best about being a model? working with different people and learning different things

What is your favorite sex position? doggie

If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go and who would you take with you? paris mom

We know you’re a model and all, but you must have a favorite food. What is it? mexican

Besides modeling, what do you do for fun? shopping

What are your dreams and goals? tv personality

Would you prefer a guy to pursue you, or do you like to be the aggressor? aggressor

How did you get your start in modeling? someone spotted me randomly

Myspace or Facebook? myspace

Do you have a website? no

Relationship Status: single

Favorite Sports Team: carina panthers

Favorite Comedian: dave chappell

First Job: taco bell

How does someone contact you for a modeling project?http://www.arabellemodeling.com/ or call 908-397-3005

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The man charged with breaking into LL Cool J's house earlier this week has a lengthy criminal record that includes a manslaughter conviction in Texas, court records show.

Authorities say the actor-rapper subdued Jonathan A. Kirby early Wednesday after finding the man in his Los Angeles home, breaking Kirby's nose, jaw and ribs in the process.

Kirby, 58, has a lengthy arrest and criminal history in LA, but also was convicted of voluntary manslaughter in Dallas in 1988.

Records show Kirby
was sentenced to six years of imprisonment, but was paroled the
following year. By January 1990 he had been arrested on a
prostitution-related charge in West Hollywood, and in 1995 was convicted
of felony residential burglary. He is charged with the same offense in
the LL Cool J incident and could face 38 years to life in prison if
convicted.

No additional details about the circumstances of the Texas manslaughter conviction were available Friday.

Prosecutors
want Kirby, a transient who has used different names and dates of birth
over the years, treated as a third-strike offender.

Authorities
say LL Cool J, whose real name is James Todd Smith, and his family were
unharmed during the break-in, and nothing was apparently taken from
their home.

Kirby has yet to make a court appearance and had to be hospitalized because of his injuries.

Amber Priddy can now be referred to as Chad Ochocinco’s mistress number two or so reports Radaronline.com!
Just the other day the website revealed that Beverly Shriner has been
(and supposedly still IS) engaging in extracurricular activity with the football player and now Priddy, an aspiring model and stripper, makes the mistress count up to two. But, that’s not all…

Radaronline.com is reporting that there are a string of alleged
mistresses that Ochocinco has been hanging out with all while supposedly
being committed to his new wife Evelyn Lozada. Obviously Mr.
Ochocinco’s picture isn’t next to the definition of faithfulness in the
dictionary.

Okay so, according to the
report, Chad’s involvement with Priddy had more to do with just sex. A
source told Radar that the Chad had allegedly been paying the rent for
Amber. The source said, “Chad has been paying Amber $2000 a month for
her apartment and flying her in and out of Miami so they could meet up.”
Either Miss Priddy wasn’t using the money
to pay for her apartment on Peachtree Street in Atlanta or Ochocinco
wasn’t giving her enough to foot the bill because girlfriend got evicted.

The 5’4″ brunette has not only posed for raunchy men’s magazines but
she is also a stripper at the Gold Rush Showbar in Atlanta. For some
rather entertaining tweets, you can follow Amber here on Twitter.

The disgraced former NFL star has been carrying out a number of
illicit affairs with several women for the past year, a source
exclusively told Radar, including an aspiring model and stripper from
Atlanta named Amber Priddy who he was allegedly paying the rent for
until his own financial situation took a downward spiral.

"Chad has been paying Amber $2000 a month for her apartment and
flying her in and out of Miami so they could meet up," said our insider,
but now the former Black Men Magazine Model Of The Year has been
evicted from her apartment on Atlanta's famous Peachtree Street,
according to court documents, and she posted a plea on Twitter this week
asking for help moving.

The raunchy revelations come after Chad's bombshell week that started
with his arrest for domestic violence on August 11 following an
explosive fight with the Basketball Wives star, who filed for divorce
three days later, which led to him being cut from the Miami Dolphins and
fired by sponsor Zico coconut water.
RadarOnline.com exclusively reported that a Boston woman named
Beverly Shiner claims that she had a heated affair with the former New
England Patriots player from January to May this year while Evelyn was
busy planning their 4th of July dream wedding, and now it is clear that
she was far from the only person he cheated on the reality star with.

"He would tell Evelyn that he was going out to run errands in the day
time and just hook up with one of his women instead," revealed our
insider. "It was easier for him to hide when they lived in separate
cities but after Chad was traded to Miami in June his philandering
literally got too close to home and he got caught."
Determined not to give the 34-year-old six time Pro Bowler up even
after he got married, Amber tweeted a very telling message less than a
week after he said "I do," to Evelyn. "U can marry him but he's still
mine!!!" she wrote, followed by a series of crying faces.

Three days after the newlyweds' notorious violent bust-up, Priddy was
relishing in their drama and ready to move into Lozada's spot. "Uh oh
just got the text that my bestie Ochocinco is single. Lol U should
listened to my counseling session!!!" she bragged.

The 5'4" brunette, who often flaunts her very ample assets in cheap
lacy underwear in her profile photo, has posed for raunchy men's
magazines that focus on lingerie or fully nude pictorials.

However, the busty dancer's main job is as a stripper at the Gold
Rush Showbar in Atlanta, according to our source, which is a fully nude
strip club offering dances for just $10.

Along with her bra-bursting DD bust, Amber reportedly also has butt
implants and according to one raunchy website, "when she lies on her
back, nothing but her ass and shoulders touch the ground."

"She began dating Chad before he was with Evelyn, they dated even
after he got married, and are still seeing each other," confirmed our
source.

I
often get asked by random strangers for directions. Not one to miss
an opportunity, I handed him my flyer and he made a fifty dollar
donation. As he drove off, I thought that was the end of our
encounter... He'd returned after an hour or so. Rolling down his
window, he reached out his hand and introduced himself. I immediately
recognized his name. He was kind and sincere as he looked directly
into my eyes... I listened as he repeated over and over that he was
going to help me. That my fundraising was done. That I didn't need to
worry any longer. He said he would send a check after he returned to
his offices during the week.

He was true to his word. Vasilakos, an herbalist and Reiki teacher,
received a package on July 16 with a $20,000 check and with a
handwritten note from Warner. The note read in part, "Someone up there
loves you because I was guided to meet you Saturday. I never lose my
way, but fate had me lost and ask you for directions. The rest of the
story I hope will be a wonderful new life for you."

"Of course I started crying, because that's what girls do," Vasilakos
said. "I'm incredibly thankful to Ty Warner and to everyone who has
supported me with love and prayer."

The check cleared a few weeks later and she booked a surgical
procedure at an undisclosed foreign hospital to begin hematopoietic stem
celltreatment. Hematopietic treatment takes a cell from the
blood or bone marrow that can renew itself and develop into a variety of
specialized cells.

"After I serendipitously met
Jennifer, I further educated myself on her stem cell needs. I was
shocked that this particular type of treatment wasn't available to her
in the U.S.," Warner said in a media release.
"My hope is that we can bring this lifesaving treatment to the
forefront so that it can become more readily available and provide
alternatives for people like Jennifer."

So the chance meeting allowed both Warner and Vasilakos to each continue on their journeys.

Friday, August 24, 2012

Angela Bassett is the latest star to jump on board to Lifetime's upcoming biopic-drama, Betty and Coretta, previously known as Parallel Lives.
Mary J. Blige will play Dr. Betty Shabazz, while Bassett will play
Coretta Scott King. In addition, Ruby Dee will play the film's key
narrator. The project is set to begin shooting this September. [Hollywood Reporter]

Michelle Obama is on a media blitz this month. Having already appeared on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno and more, she'll be heading over to Dr. Oz on August 29 to tape a future episode. Later that night, she will make her third Late Show with David Letterman appearance. [EURweb]

LL Cool J's late night intruder, who suffered a broken nose and jaw,
faces life in prison if convicted. L.A. County District Attorney's
Office has charged the homeless man as a third strike offender. He is
also charged with first degree burglary with a person present. His bail
is set at $1.1M. [TMZ]

Tyra Banks says she got the word to revamp America's Next Top Model
in the middle of her Harvard business class. "I got a note that said
you need to get out of class and take this call," said Banks. "My boss
said, 'There are no sacred cows, and you have to do some crazy changes.'
It was a mandate." The 19th season of Top Model begins tonight with its dramatic new changes and new panel of judges. [Page Six]

Super rich kid Adam Sabbagh paid Tyson Beckford a whopping $25K for
one-on-one modeling lessons in his New York apartment. Sabbagh is
looking to land a New York Fashion Week modeling job next month. Would
you pay that much cash for special attention? [TMZ]

If voters approve the measure in November, Arkansas would become the first medical pot state in the South

Medical marijuana took one step closer to hitting the South on Wednesday, when Arkansas' Secretary of State office confirmed
that the issue will be on the ballot there this November. Arkansans for
Compassionate Care handed in 69,000 valid signatures – well over the
necessary 62,507 – for the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Act, which would
set up non-profit organizations to cultivate and sell pot, while
allowing patients who live more than five miles from a dispensary to
grow their own. The November vote will mark the first time that voters
in a Southern state can decide whether to legalize medical pot, and
could make Arkansas the U.S.' 18th medical weed state.

The proposed legislation has made Arkansas ground zero for marijuana
reform in the South, where weed laws tend to be ultra-harsh. "We are in
the Bible Belt – this isn't generally one of the states that is a hotbed
for marijuana reform or policy," Ryan Denham, Campaign Director for the
ACC, told Opposing Views
earlier this year. "If passed, this will send a strong message
nationally . . . Marijuana is medicine and it is time we recognize that
on a national level."

The initiative qualifies medical marijuana for a variety of
conditions – including cancer, glaucoma and post-traumatic stress
disorder – as well as other diseases that produce symptoms pot is known
to help soothe, like nausea, muscle spasms and seizures. While
recognizing marijuana's illegality under federal law, the act would
exempt from prosecution those who qualify for participation in the
Arkansas program.

Arkansas has long had some of the strictest weed laws in the U.S.,
but the state has begun liberalizing its policies in recent years. Two
towns – Eureka Springs and Fayetteville – have made personal possession
of less than an an ounce a low priority, a non-arrestable offense. And
last year, sentencing reforms
reduced many weed offenses from felonies to misdemeanors, reducing the
number of pot prisoners in a state known for locking them up.

Conservative organizations like Arkansas' Family Council may be
gearing up for a public relations war now that medical pot is headed to
the ballot. "Putting Arkansas in the middle of all of this just doesn't
make sense. Why would we want to pass a law that blatantly violates
federal law?" Jerry Cox, the council's president, said in a statement this week. "Why would we invite that kind of turmoil to Arkansas?"

For now, though, Arkansans' level of support for the initiative is not definitively known. Last month, a poll conducted by Hendrix College and Talk Business found that the state's citizens were evenly split – 47 percent in favor of legalizing medical weed and 46 percent against.

Last week Tracee Ellis Ross broke the news that she won't be returning to the second season of BET's family comedy Reed Between the Lines. Until now, the reason for her exit has been a mystery and left many wondering, What went wrong?

The former Girlfriends actress who revealed the timing became an issue when she was offered the opportunity to work with another network.

"It
was that BET hadn't decided if they were picking up the show yet or
not," says Ross. "During that time when they didn't know, I was offered a
really amazing pilot for NBC, and BET graciously allowed me to go and
do it."

Ross says from there things got tricky. "Then the timing
got complicated and there was a need to move forward. [BET] had to
figure out how to deal without me because I wasn't available. But it's
not because I wanted to leave."

The natural-haired maven tells us
that things happen for a reason. Despite the casting changes and the
fact that the NBC pilot she filmed was not picked up, she appears to be
in good spirits. "I love Reed Between the Lines, I believe in it. There is a chance I'll go back, always. There's nothing weird about it."

When
the show returns next July, its characters Carla (played by Ross) and
Alex (Malcolm-Jamal Warner) will be separated, with Carla moving to Los
Angeles to pursue her career and Alex staying behind with the children
in Atlanta.

Production company claims director failed to pay them for movie postponed since 1990

Martin Scorsese has responded to a lawsuit filed by a
production company that claims to have invested $750,000 in a movie the
Oscar-winning director allegedly promised to make in 1990.

"It is shocking to us that the lawyers for Cecchi Gori Pictures would
file a suit pursuing such absurd claims considering the amicable
working relationship existing between Martin Scorsese and the principals
of Cecchi Gori Pictures," says a statement from representatives of
Scorsese.

According to Ceechi Gori's lawsuit, the company claims that Scorsese agreed more than 20 years ago to direct Silence, a project the production company had spent $750,000 developing, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Scorsese was supposed to start the film, based on the novel by Japanese author Shusaku Endo, after finishing the 1997 movie Kundun. The lawsuit claims that Scorsese signed deals to postpone work on Silence so he could direct The Departed, Shutter Island and Hugo,
but never paid Ceechi Gori the agreed-upon delay fees, said to reach as
much as $1.5 million per film, plus up to 20 percent of Scorsese's
backend compensation.

Now, Ceechi Gori Pictures claims, Scorsese has decided to direct Wolf of Wall Street (a film staring Leonardo Dicaprio and Jonah Hill) instead of Silence.
"The Cecchi Gori Parties cannot allow their rights to be ignored or
compromised by further delay on the part of Scorsese and Sikelia," his
production company, the complaint reads.

According to Scorsese's representatives, "The claims asserted
are completely contradicted by, inconsistent with and contrary to the
express terms of an agreement entered into by the parties last year."

The statement, released today, also goes on to say that filing a
lawsuit just before Scorsese was to start filming another picture "has
all the earmarks of a media stunt."

Usher's ex-wife Tameka Raymond just lost in the former
couple's bitter custody battle -- TMZ has learned, a judge has awarded
Usher primary custody of their two sons.
It's a shocking development -- considering both sides were trying to
strip each other of custody. Tameka felt the singer was an absentee
father who was too absorbed in his career to be a good dad. She also
accused him of using drugs in front of the kids.
Usher argued Tameka was inattentive and irresponsible.
The ruling marks the end of an emotional custody trial -- involving
wild accusations and name-calling ... Usher even broke down at one point
on the witness stand.
But today, we're told a judge sided with the singer -- awarding Usher
primary custody of the ex-couple's two sons, which means the children
will be spending the majority of the time with their father.
Tameka still retains some custodial rights -- but the extent to which Tameka will be able to see her kids is unclear.

An adult film actor named Mr. Marcus confessed to spreading the
venereal disease syphilis across the adult film industry, after he
admitted to submitting an altered STI test so he could continue to
perform in sex scenes.

In a meeting yesterday at his studio, 18-year adult
industry veteran Mr. Marcus sought to put to rest swirling rumors and
identified himself as positive with syphilis and admitted to submitting a
test he altered that omitted his syphilis status to producers so he
could perform in sex scenes, but said he had sought treatment already
from a private doctor and had received a penicillin shot to treat the
disease, and had waited a recommended period of time before performing
again.

Yesterday afternoon's meeting was the first time Mr. Marcus admitted
to being diagnosed as positive for syphilis, performing three times
after that diagnosis, and willfully doctoring one test from Talent
Testing Service.

The porn star posted on Twitter yesterday:

"You can be disappointed, but don't throw stones. Some of you are living in glass houses."

The actor said that three women he performed with after his diagnosis have all tested negative for syphilis.

According to Sports Illustrated,
Marcus Jordan, son of Michael Jordan, was fined $250 and other court
costs Thursday after pleading no contest to disturbing the peace during
an argument with two women outside a Nebraska hotel last month.

Authorities responded to an early-morning call at an Embassy
Suites hotel in Omaha, where Jordan Jr. was for the U.S. Olympic swim
trials in July. According to a police report, an off-duty officer
working as security for the hotel was trying to calm him down as he was
arguing with two women (reportedly a friend of his girlfriend) in the
driveway, describing him as "very animated, intoxicated and uncooperative."
The 21-year-old was also charged with obstructing a police officer but it was later dropped after a plea bargain was set.

The University of Central Florida student paid his fines after a
three-minute hearing and exited the court without speaking to reporters.
The son of the NBA great is no longer on the basketball team, averaging
13.7 points last season, but citing personal reasons for his departure.

"Honestly, because he's who he is, Marcus Jordan, we thought you guys
(media) might go crazy if he wasn't here," aid his Omaha attorney Steve
Lefler. "Truly, that was it. You guys would have thought that he's
given special treatment when he wouldn't have been given special
treatment."

Labels and performing artists are seeing good growth from digital
performance royalties these days. But could they do better?

SoundExchange, the performance rights organization for
non-interactive digital music services like Pandora and SiriusXM,
paid out $95.8 million in digital performance royalties to recording
artist and record labels in the second quarter of 2012.

Payouts
of $204.4 million for the first half of 2012 put SoundExchange on
track to easily top 2011's disbursements of $249 million. But the
second-quarter payout was a noticeable drop from the $108.6 million
the organization paid out in the first quarter.
That record total, the only that has topped $100 million in a
single quarter, was attributed to "data cleanup and technology
overhaul efforts."

Collections are a different matter. SoundExchange collects statutory royalties and - generally, although there have been a few hiccups
- pays out the royalties less a 5.3% administrative rate (as of its
2011 annual report). What it collects is highly dependent on what
is paid by its two cash cows, Pandora - which reports earnings
next week - and SiriusXM. That could change over time. And while
rates is a fixed schedule for the time being, they could change
drastically after the current rates expire after 2015.

Pandora has been itching - some might say strategizing
- to change how the Copyright Royalty Board sets the statutory
royalty for webcasters. Pandora, which has no satellites, pays a
relatively high royalty rate. Satellite radio service SiriusXM is
able to pay a much lower performance royalty to SoundExchange.
Parity, Pandora argues, would not only allow Pandora to pay the same
as SiriusXM but would allow the Internet radio market to flourish
with more companies and innovation.

But
it's question worth asking. Internet radio has extraordinary
potential to be more popular, innovative and influential in the
music business. Take 90% of the expectations currently being placed
on on-demand subscription services and place them on Internet radio.
Just as radio is the every man's analog product, Internet product
will be the every man's digital product.

Stephen Baldwin was arrested in New York City yesterday ... TMZ has learned.

Law
enforcement sources tell us ... Baldwin was initially pulled over at
5:14 PM after cops say he made an illegal U-turn in Harlem.

During
the stop, we're told cops noticed Baldwin was driving with a suspended
license ... so they arrested the actor and hauled him to a nearby jail
where he was booked for aggravated unlicensed operator [of a motor
vehicle].

Baldwin is scheduled to appear in court in October to be arraigned.

We reached out to Baldwin's people for comment -- so far, no word back.

Sources familiar with the investigation tell TMZ ... the
note was "short and sweet." Tony said in the note he loved his wife and
his 2 kids -- Max and Frank.
We're told Scott's wife has not told investigators about anything
that might have triggered a suicide, although as we first reported she
did tell investigators Scott did NOT have brain cancer or any other significant medical problem.

We may never know what triggered Scott to jump to his death last week, but offer his family our condolences.

At least 10 people were shot Friday morning in front of the Empire State Building in New York.

According to CNN:

A suspect in the shooting was shot and killed by police, New York police said.
Authorities converged on the building around 9 a.m. after reports of gunfire.
A witness told CNN's Rose Arce that the gunman ran after and shot a
man in the head. An unarmed guard chased the gunman away, the witness
told Arce.

Azealia
Banks can’t seem to keep her way out of social media fiascos these
days, but this morning M.A.C. Cosmetics namedropped our Juice Issue
cover girl on twitter with some exciting news.

The highly controversial “212” superstar has collaborated with
the cosmetics brand and now has her own limited edition M.A.C. lipstick
color, called “Yung Rapunxel.”

The color, a blackened violet hue that the young star often rocks
with her more vampy ensembles, will be available to the public during
Fashion Night Out on Sept. 6 (Sept. 5 online). It will sell for $15.

Aside from the color release, she will be performing at M.A.C.’s SoHo boutique on the 6th at 7:45. What a treat.

NEW YORK (AP) -- As liner notes get scarce in the digital age, the
Recording Academy wants fans to still be able to find out who the
people are behind their favorite hit.

So the
Academy announced Thursday that it will launch the "Give Fans the
Credit" campaign, which plans to give music listeners more
information on the people behind the creation of a song, aside from
the song's main performer.

Academy President and
CEO Neil Portnow said in a statement that music fans are getting
less information on songs today because of digital platforms, which
tend to only offer a song's title and performer. But the Academy
wants be sure fans are getting liner notes for albums, and that
songwriters, non-featured performers, producers and engineers are
highlighted for their work.

"We can watch
movies online with the credits included, and the same should be true
for digitally released recordings," Portnow's statement reads. "If
music devices can access millions of tracks in the cloud, we're
confident we can find a way to acknowledge those who created the
tracks here on earth."

The initiative will feature
"honorary ambassadors" who will help facilitate the discussion,
including T Bone Burnett, music producer RedOne, Jimmy Jam, Sheila
E, songwriter Lamont Dozier and producer Don Was. The Academy's news
release said the ambassadors plan to meet with digital music
outlets "to brainstorm ways to deliver more robust crediting
information on digital music platforms."

BERLIN - The German music market, the world's third largest in
2011 according to the IFPI, is finally catching up to the digital
era, according to a new study presented by the German music
association BVMI (Bundesverband Musikindustrie) together with the
German book trade association and the German Federation against
Copyright Theft (GVU) that examined Germany digital media
consumption last year.

In 2011, 22.1
million Germans consumed digital music (18.4 million), film (7.1
million) and TV (9.7 million) representing an 11-percent increase
over the previous year (the study allowed for multiple answers).
Despite physical sales dominating 83.4 % of total music revenues of
1.67 billion euros (about $2.1 billion), there are now over 70 legal
download and streaming services available in Germany.

The survey showed that 81% of Germans are satisfied with
Germany's online-music offerings. According to the BVMI, 247 million
euros was made from digital music in 2011 - an increase of 21.2 %.
Every fifth euro from German music sales is now made from the
digital market.

7.9 million, or 54% of those
polled, indicated their preference for video streaming platforms
such as YouTube, My Space or Tape TV. This was followed by 22% who
use online radio sites, 10% who go to artist sites and 7% who use
audio-streaming platforms such as Simfy and Spotify.

Frank Briegmann, President Universal Music Deutschland, and a
member of the BVMI-board issued a statement on the survey: "The
growth of the digital market is something we are very happy about,"
he said. "It just about compensates for the decline in the physical
market. In order to achieve a long term reversal of this trend and
to return to positive growth rigorous action against copyright
violators. That is the only way artists will be paid fairly for the
use of their work in the future."

According to the study, three of every four Germans believed it is
appropriate to fine people who offer copyrighted content online
without permission. And more than half the population (53 percent)
endorsed the imposition of fines on people who illegally download.

The German market research institute
Gesellschaft für Konsumforschung (GFK) in Nuremberg, which conducted
the study, surveyed 10,000 people in Feb. and May 2012 representing
63.6 million Germans aged 10 and older.

Canadian singer Nelly Furtado arrived at the turn of the millennium
with a sound that incorporated folk, bossa nova and other Latin
influences — an unlikely mix for a contemporary mainstream pop singer
from the Great White North. Born Nelly Kim Furtado on December 2nd,
1978, to parents of Portuguese descent, she grew up in a bilingual
household in Victoria, British Columbia. Furtado gravitated to music
early on, playing a variety of instruments including ukulele and guitar,
and singing at Portuguese cultural events. When she reached grade
school, she listened to the mainstream pop of Mariah Carey and
Salt-N-Pepa, but soon discovered the more adventurous sounds of
alternative rock and trip-hop acts ranging from Radiohead to Portishead
and eventually other cultural traditions including Brazilian bossa nova
and Eastern religious music.

After high school, she moved to Toronto, where she fell in with the
underground hip-hop scene and formed the short-lived trip-hop outfit
Nelstar, along with musician Tallis Newkirk. In 1997, she performed at
an all-female urban talent show, attracting the attention of Gerald
Eaton of Toronto funk band the Philosopher Kings, who helped her produce
a demo tape. The sessions led to her DreamWorks record deal and some of
the material ended up on her critically acclaimed debut, Whoa, Nelly!
(Number 24, 2001), which included the singles "I'm Like a Bird" (Number
Nine, 2001) and "Turn Off the Light" (Number Five, 2001). Even the
caustic "Shit on the Radio (Remember the Days)," a song chastising an
old friend for accusing her of selling out, managed to reach Number 34
on Billboard's Top 40 Mainstream chart.

Furtado's multi-culti dance pop earned her a 2001 Best Female Pop Vocal
Performance Grammy for "I'm Like a Bird." The more serious Folklore
(Number 38, 2004) came a year after Furtado gave birth to her daughter,
Nevis, and was less successful in terms of pop singles. But Furtado
came back strong with a totally new sound in 2006. Teaming with hip-hop
wunderkind Timbaland, Furtado shocked fans with Loose (Number
One, 2006) and its three chart-topping singles "Maneater," "Promiscuous"
and "Say it Right." The album also included a Spanish-language duet
with Colombian pop-rock star Juanes on his song "Te Busque." It was a
returned favor, as Furtado had appeared on his 2002 breakthrough album Un Día Normal,
dueting with him on the ballad "Fotografía," which topped several Latin
charts. Furtado toured in 2001, 2004 and 2007, and released the live
DVD Loose the Concert in 2007. As of 2008 she was working on a new album scheduled for release that year.

Pepsi will continue its year-long celebration of the 25th anniversary of Michael Jackson's Bad
Aug. 29 at New York City's Gotham Hall with performances from Ne-Yo
and Melanie Fiona and a DJ set from Swizz Beatz, with additional
tunes from DJ Cassidy. The event will mark the conclusion of Pepsi
and Billboard's 2012 Summer Beats Concert Series, which also
featured a performance by Katy Perry at the premiere of her movie Part of Me 3-D, a Nashville concert with country trio Gloriana and, just last week, a special performance by Pepsi spokeswoman Nicki Minaj at New York's Roseland Ballroom.

In addition to celebrating the music of Bad,
the Summer Beats Concert will also feature performances of the
artists' current hits, including Ne-Yo's "Let's Go," a collaboration
with Calvin Harris that was originally written as a European soccer anthem for Pepsi Max.

Earlier this year, Pepsi also celebrated the 25th anniversary of Bad with 1 billion limited-edition cans featuring Jackson's iconic silhouette,
worldwide giveaways for special prizes like jackets inspired by the
original BAD Tour and tickets to Cirque du Soleil's Michael Jackson
The Immortal World Tour and free downloads of custom remixes by
dance producers like A-Trak.

"Pepsi
has always been at the forefront of pop culture, helping to shape
the music landscape," Brad Jakeman, president, Global Enjoyment
Brands, and chief creative officer, PepsiCo Global Beverages Group,
said in a statement in May. "This unique global partnership, around
such a legendary music milestone, invites Pepsi fans from around the
world to experience Michael Jackson's music in an engaging and very
now kind of way -- it's a model example of how Pepsi's 'Live for
Now' campaign can manifest itself in a way that resonates the
world over."

'I live to mentor, so my heart is much more open to the idea of that than even 10 years ago'

Alanis Morissette is a contender to join the judges' table on American Idol, CNN reports.
Although she declined to discuss details at her Hollywood Rockwalk
induction ceremony this week, Morissette said she's intrigued by the
possibility of being a judge.

"I live to mentor, so my heart is much more open to the idea of that
than even 10 years ago when I, perhaps, wasn't in a position to be able
to offer much advice, solicited or otherwise," Morissette said. "[B]ut I
love watching people and just getting really curious about what they
want and what they need and what their goals are, and then I can support
them. I would do it formally, for sure."

There's also been talk that original judge Randy Jackson will move to
a "mentoring" role, leaving one more spot open. Rumors continue to
swirl about who might take that spot, with name's like Nick Jonas and Kanye West getting thrown into the ring.

With
the rise of the Internet, a lot of the marketing power has been put
back into the hands of independent artists. Today, a lot of artists can
promote themselves to fans for the cost of essentially nothing. Tons of
online social platforms have started to pop up, and a lot of them have
become hotspots for both music marketing efforts and fans seeking new
talent. This makes self-promotion a lot easier, and almost entirely cuts
out the need for a big promotion budget. The important part is the
artist or band taking advantage of these many free opportunities, and
utilizing all of them properly and consistently. Facebook
and Twitter are two of the most well known online platforms currently.
Here, artists can interact directly with current and potential fans
alike, and link to different media, whether that is their music, videos,
blog, etc. They also have the biggest membership base, which gives the
greatest potential of growth to artists. Presence on these social media
platforms is almost mandatory for any aspiring artist. Artists must also
stay on top of these because lack of use could mislead potential fans
into thinking the artist is no longer actively making music. Plus, it
keeps your fans engaged and excited.Another
great resource is MySpace. Probably the most overlooked due to its fall
a few years ago, but it is very useful as an electronic press kit
(EPK). It brings all different aspects of your music, band information,
fans, and tour dates into one simple webpage. It serves less as a medium
to interact with fans, and more of an outlet to feature new material. Other
online platforms every band should utilize are YouTube, Tumblr and
MusicClout. All three of these serve different purposes, but they all
can be used to further any artist’s career if used properly. YouTube
allows artists to upload live shows and music videos, and then post them
to your various pages. Tumblr allows artists to write stories while
adding in other multi-media, which can allow fans see a more personal
side of the artist. MusicClout allows your EPK to be seen by tons of
different music industry related opportunities, and lets you make
connections with a variety of different professionals. Social
media is essential to any artist. It allows you to effectively engage
with fans and directly interact with them, as well as get noticed by big
industry professionals.

If you read this blog
or follow me on Twitter you know I'm a big Jay-Z fan. His talent,
music, swagger, outlook on life and art and most of all his story.
Jay grew up in the Marcy Projects in Brooklyn, New York. A former
drug dealer, he hustled his way to global stardom via hard work and
genius level talent for lyrics and flow.

In
2008, Jay-Z was set to headline The Glastonbury Festival in the U.K.
This is one of the biggest rock festivals the world has to offer
each year. I say rock because no Hip Hop artist had ever headlined
it. I'm not sure that any had even played it before.

Immediately, there was controversy. Ticket sales started off
slow and they blamed Jay-Z. Noel Gallagher of Oasis was quoted as
saying:

"I'm sorry, but Jay-Z? No chance.
Glastonbury has a tradition of guitar music and even when they throw
the odd curve ball in on a Sunday night you go 'Kylie Minogue?' I
don't know about it. But I'm not having hip hop at Glastonbury. It's
wrong."

The press rallied. Everyone weighed in. Should Jay-Z bow out? Should he play? Does Hip Hop belong at Glastonbury?

At the time Jay-Z was already a star in the United States and
beginning to be global, but not yet. Glastonbury has audiences from
all over the world. The crowd fly flags representing just about
every country you can think of.

Was it too risky for him to try and fail?

Entrepreneurs and artists create and risk. That's what they
do. And with creation comes success or failure. Sometimes they
deliver and sometimes not.

There was no way Jay-Z
was bowing out. In fact, I doubt he was worried about failing.
There is no more confident artist out there. His skills are
undeniable and he's grown into one of the best live performers
around. Especially since he added a live band.

"I'm like 'F--- critics, you can kiss my whole asshole. If you
don't like my lyrics, you can press fast forward.' " - Jay-Z, "99
Problems"

And then he took the stage. In pure clever and "giving it right
back" Hip Hop tradition he opened with his rendition of OASIS'
"Wonderwall" where the lyrics "I don't believe that anybody feels
the way I do about you now" took on a whole new "f--- you" sort of
meaning.

"You not feelin' me? Fine, it cost you nothing. Pay me no mind." - Jay-Z, "Heart of the City"

The crowd went nuts. "Jay-Z. Jay-Z. Jay-Z". Nodding his head in agreement like a conquering emperor.

And just as quickly as the video ended Jay-Z demands into the
mic: "I've got one thing to say" and blasts into "99 Problems." That
song, ironically enough, was produced by Rick Rubin who has worked
with some of the best rock bands around like The Red Hot Chili
Peppers and The Cult, not to mention the Beastie Boys. To add insult
to injury, half way through the song, his band includes the guitar
riff from AC/DC's "Back in Black." As you'll see below before and
after this song, Jay won over the crowd. An amazing moment for a
musician facing that kind of public adversity. My friend DJ Neil Armstrong
was the touring DJ at this show and he said it was a pretty
incredible moment. He felt the crowd turn and the energy for the
rest of the night was insane.

And that night, Jay-Z became a global superstar. The British press, notorious for takedowns, was also impressed. The Guardian wrote here:
"Glastonbury headliner turns tables on Noel Gallagher after Oasis
frontman had lambasted choice of US rapper as top act."

"I'm not looking at you dudes, I'm looking past you" - Jay-Z, "Heart of the City"

And he did.

Jay-Z's recent commercial with Budweiser also expresses how he
looks at art. All art is more similar than not in where it comes
from. To him "everything is a remix." "We're all trading off each
other's culture" he narrates. This spot is exactly what he was
saying at Glastonbury.

Less than a year after accepting a senior management position at
Epic Records, evp of marketing Angelica Cob-Baehler is being let go.
An Epic spokesperson confirmed the Los Angeles-based executive's
exit, citing a reassessment of senior management functions
specifically concerning the West Coast office.

"Epic Records realigned resources today, as a result, all senior
management marketing functions will be located at the Epic Records
headquarters in New York City," said a label rep when asked by The
Hollywood Reporter. "The Epic Los Angeles office will serve as a
base for Epic's creative team, A&R and our artists."

According to sources, it was Epic COO Mark Shimmel who delivered the news. A relatively recent hire himself
(as of January 2012), Cob-Baehler, who was responsible for all
marketing efforts, product management, brand partnerships,
publicity, video production and creative at the label, reported
directly to the New York-based Shimmel.

That
apparently was a part of the problem -- although Cob-Baehler made
frequent trips to the company's headquarters in New York, and label
chairman L.A. Reid spends a good chunk of the Fall in Los Angeles as
an X Factor judge, the long-distance separation between marketing
head and minions was an increasingly difficult hurdle, says an
insider. Her exit came as surprise to many staffers, one of whom
described Cob-Baehler as, "One of the hardest working executives
I've ever met."

Cob-Baehler
had previously held an evp title at EMI where she oversaw media and
creative services. She also played a key role in bringing Katy
Perry to the label group, after getting to know the singer at
Columbia Records, where Cob-Baehler was vp of publicity. In 2011,
she was named one of Billboard Magazine's Top Women In Music

WPMG-Palace Music Hot 100 Radio

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